


As the snow fell, so did we

by TheHolosexualPan



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: AU, Angst, But all gets better, Christmas, Crushes, Dunno when I'l finish this but I am always a slut for victorian AUs, Fluff, From your problems that is, Historical Inaccuracy, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I basically wrote this as practice, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Kuroo is a noble, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating Might Change, Running Away, Victorian, Winter, Yama is poor and on the streets, Yama was bullied even in this AU, a book by Yamaguchi Tadashi, based on a prompt, but close enough, but it's more like crushing at first sight, just a lil bit, not reeeeeally victorian, save him, sorta love at first sight, this is very self indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-01 19:48:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10928826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHolosexualPan/pseuds/TheHolosexualPan
Summary: Tetsurou was brought back from his train of thought with a sudden sound, filled with distress, from one of his horses and a huge bump in the road.The carriage stop and the he saw his coach man stand up, hand in his hair, gripping it tightly as he headed for the front of the carriage.Did something happen? Scratch that, I'm not an idiot, somethingmusthave happened...,he said to himself, setting his dark hat back onto his head and opening the door, grimacing a little as the cold bit at his mostly exposed face."What's the matter?", Tetsurou screamed over the almost unbearable loudness of the wind.The coach man turned to him, face pale with terror and hands shacking, either from the cold or due to the same reason as his white face, Tetsurou didn't know.Furrowing his brows, but nonetheless, keeping his back straight and posture as elegant as a cat, Tetsurou headed himself for the front of the carriage.He gasped softly at the sight.The ice on the road was painted with tiny drops of red and near the horses stood a shivering figure.





	1. There's a storm coming

**Author's Note:**

> So basically, I found this prompt, on this blog:  
> http://otpprompts.tumblr.com/post/154468620106/victorian-au-person-a-is-wealthy-but-has-no
> 
> And I decided to write it. For Kuroyama. Because, dang it, there is not enough content for these and I think that, where they to ever interact, they would have a really great dynamic (That's why it's my OTRP=One true rare pairing)  
> So yeah
> 
> Here's the prompt for those who can't access Tumblr right now:  
> Victorian AU: Person A is wealthy but has no family and is usually lonely during Christmas time. On the way home one evening, their carriage slips over the icy streets and hits Person B, who is homeless and freezing. Person A feels horrible about hitting them so they take them home and fix them up as well as insist that they at least stay until after Christmas. Person A dresses Person B and feeds them and treats them with kindness and they slowly fall in love as Person B heals, but then Person B overhears the maids and butler speaking about how Person B is taking advantage of Person A, so Person B leaves. Person A is heartbroken and desperate to find Person B and eventually does find them on Christmas eve and brings them home right away, but Person B is terribly sick from living out on the streets in the snow and the doctor says they may not make it. Person A stays with Person B through the whole night of Christmas eve and softly sings Christmas carols to them until morning. Christmas morning comes and Person B’s health starts to recover and they both celebrate the Christmas miracle.

Through a fogged window, on which swirls and patterns of ice flowers molded together and twisted each other to create a view that would satisfy even the Winter faeries themselves, he looked up, warm amber eyes encased by thick, black eyelashes pointed at the sky. 

A huge storm was coming up, he could sense it. He could feel it in the way the wind blew at the trees in his garden,once green and luscious, now grey and covered in an almost blueish layer of frost, icicles hanging low like gems, sparkling in the cold light of the sun, which was quickly being swallowed by an ocean of inky clouds.

Kuroo sighed. If he wanted to still buy something for Christmas, and maybe even following the next weeks, seeing as he wasn't quite sure whether or not the storm would be as great as he predicted, he would have to go today. Right now, to be more precise, as his butler reminded him.

It would be a pain, indeed, but it had to be done. The young lord scrunched his face into a childish pout, but quickly shook his head to regain his composure, at least in front of his servants, some of which were holding his favorite travelling clothes up.

With another small, yet clearly annoyed sigh, he got up from his big armchair by the window, taking the dark red cloak and hat, putting them on quickly, along with a silken scarf and a pair of black gloves.

It wasn't like he had anyone waiting at home, so might as well go out for a little.

Right...?

 

* * *

 

 

Yamaguchi shivered, looking at all the passengers. He then looked at how mush everyone hurried to get their carriages full before the storm hit. He could almost feel his eyelashes freezing together, but he knew he had to get up; seek shelter.

If he stayed in the market, with no money and barely enough clothes to not be completely vulnerable to the winters merciless chill, he would not survive a storm, especially not one as big as the one described bu everyone that day.

With his knees shacking, the man got up, breathing out painfully as his aching muscles stretched. A white cloud of puff came out through his mouth, but no matter what he did, Yamaguchi could not stop his trembling.

With tiny steps, he made his way across the icy pavement, trying his best not to fall. he was lucky a nice grey-haired man had offered him a pair of boots, or else he might have actually already seen his end.

A breeze blew by and Yamaguchi groaned. His eyes were now closed as to not let tiny, sharp pieces of ice get in them and he stumbled through the narrow streets, not really minding all the people bumping into him without giving him a second glance.

Maybe the innkeeper that had helped him last year would have mercy and let him stay this winter too. And it's not like Yamaguchi wouldn't pay his debts, he always did, in the summer, when the weather was warm and he could work whatever job was available. It would just take some time, but it'snot like there was anyone else who would let a poor, almost frozen man in near that time of the year.

Right...?

 

* * *

 

 

If Kuroo had thought the sky had been dark earlier, well he sure as hell  _knew_ it was dark right now. The wind was howling through the trees, destroying whatever leaves were still left after the weather had begun worsening in November that year. The man sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair, gripping the edge of his hat, which was laying in his lap, a bit tighter. 

It was a good thing he had gone out when he had, the nobleman decided. A very good thing. As a kid, he always liked winter, it was his favorite season, when his family would gather, when he would give and receive gifts, when they would all stay together and just... _Enjoy_ each other's presence. His father would usually read to him from all of his books and Kuroo would even get to talk to his uncle, who, being an alchemist, was almost never home, sadly enough, his mother would let him help with the cookies and he would get to play in the snow with one of the few still present remnants of his childhood, a beautiful Great Dane. But then, business had gotten rough and his family had to move. Usually, he would visit them each Christmas, but this year, the roads were closed, due to everyone's fear of the storm. 

Kuroo smiled however, because, well, he was a young, mature man, he could handle a bit of loneliness on Christmas, because, quite frankly, compared to the homeless and the poor, he was living a dream, having a warm home, plenty of servants, enough food to suffice for the entirety of the Winter season and clothes to keep him warm during the freezing December weather.

Another glance was thrown out the window of his carriage. He saw, with the help of an oil lamp, fixated on the outside of the glass pane, a few pure snowflakes touch the cold exterior of the window and melt like a ghost that was never even there to begin with.

It was honestly beautiful, the way the snow fell, combined with the soothing rhythm of the horses' gallop. Kuroo smiled a bit wider and let himself relax. It wouldn't be an all too bad Christmas, aside from the hollow feeling in his chest, it couldn't be.

 

Kuroo was brought back from his train of thought with a sudden sound, filled with distress form one of his horses and a huge bump in the road.

The carriage stop and the he saw his coach man stand up, hand in his hair, gripping it tightly as he headed for the front of the carriage.

 _Did something happen? Scratch that, I'm not an idiot, something_ must _have happened...,_ he said to himself, setting his dark hat back onto his head and opening the door, grimacing a little as the cold bit at his mostly exposed face.

"What's the matter?", Kuroo screamed over the almost unbearable loudness of the wind.

The coach man turned to him, face pale with terror and hands shacking, either from the cold or due to the same reason as his white face, Kuroo didn't know.

Furrowing his brows, but nonetheless, keeping his back straight and posture as elegant as a cat, Kuroo headed himself for the front of the carriage.

He gasped softly at the sight.

The ice on the road was painted with tiny drops of red and near the horses stood a shivering figure. A young boy perhaps? His skin looked almost translucent and Kuroo couldn't see the other male's face, seeing as his was on his side, back turned to him.

With a few slow steps, mindful of the ice, Kuroo closed in on the boy on the road, which they had most likely hit. He could hear his coach man saying that the boy had jumped in front of the carriage out if nowhere and that it had been to late to stop.

Kuroo, however, didn't listen. Explanations would be given back at the manor. Right now, he was hunched over the trembling body, glowed hands carefully turning the boy over. He seemed to be unconscious, eyes shut tight, plump, but bitten lips almost purple, as were his cheeks, and little dots of a darker color scattered all over his face. However, there was a scratch on the boy's temple that was worrying Kuroo.

A flicker of...  _Something_ lit up in his chest at the sight of the injured boy. Pity? Sympathy? he didn't know what it was, but what he  _did_ know, was that he had to take responsibility for this little accident and help the boy. 

Kuroo shot a sharp glance at his servant, his eyes almost glowing yellow as they reflected the light of the oil lamp. With a gulp, the coachman got back in his place and prepared to take his leave.

The nobleman stretched his hands under the limp boy and rose to his feet, almost scared at how light the other was. And how cold.  _He feels like ice...,_  Tetsurou thought with a little frown marring his face. He held the boy tight as he carried him to the carriage, opening the door as best as he could, while not dropping the boy, and getting in, setting him gently on the cushioned seat, closing the door and staying next to him.

Kuroo knocked on roof for the coachman to resume their journey. 

The nobleman's gaze directed itself towards the injured boy beside him. His pale, freckled face was framed with soft, shoulder length brown hair, where little pieces of ice lay, probably form the accident. His clothes, if he could call them that, where shredded in places and definitely not made for the winter season, Kuroo decided. 

With a sigh, he removed his cloak and covered the boy in, trying not to move his head to much as he tried to wrap the woolly material around the boy, almost amazed at how tiny the other looked, almost drowning the thick, warm layer.

There was a warm feeling in his chest when the boy,  _who might not actually be all that young_ , nuzzled into the cloak, puffing out small breaths through his nose, color returning to his cheeks and a soft, barely audible sound, escaping his lips.

Kuroo felt... Not _lonely_. This boy...

He didn't know who he was, or what was up with the sudden affection and warmth that seemed to envelop his heart with the speed of a spark melting an entire ocean of ice, but...

He wanted to take care of him.

It was actually the least he could do and...

_It would mean he wouldn't be alone, for at least a little while..._


	2. It's growing dark

Yamaguchi's head felt as if it was being repeatedly smashed with a hammer, especially with the way that his ears were ringing. He tried opening his eyes, but the light he saw when he did sent a strong pang of pain trough his sore body, so he closed them again, biting his lip, only to find it...

Covered in something...?

It was a weird substance, the texture resembling honey, though less sticky, and the taste mirroring it. He licked it off, but he could already feel how his lips were softer than he had ever felt them.  _Some kind of lip balm...?_ , he asked himself, concentrating at what other things he could feel about his body. 

The first, something so obvious Yamaguchi wondered how the hell he hadn't noticed it sooner, was that he was... Warm.

No, it wasn't a fewer (probably). He could feel soft material brushing on his skin, something that he  _wasn't used to_.

He couldn't remember where he was. He only remembered his erratic thoughts as the snow began falling, heavy and fast, the darkness growing too quickly as he made his way through woods that, were it to be summer, would be familiar, and he recalled seeing a little light shining through the tree barks. The last thing he had seen, was the carriage whose lamp belonged to trying and failing to stop in time as he tried willing his frozen body to move.

After that...

Nothing. 

_Where... Am I?_

After asking himself that, he finally opened his eyes, the pounding in his head much less severe than when he had just woken. As slowly as possible, Yamaguchi opened his eyes, almost groaning at the light, but adjusting to it after a couple of seconds.

He was greeted with golden eyes.

 

* * *

 

 

Kuroo was scared as he watched one of his servants, a tall elderly woman who had, apparently, studied medicine in her youth, examine the injured boy.

But he had to maintain his image, so he breathed in and sighed. The woman gave a thoughtful hum and raised herself from the bed, Kuroo immediately lending her a hand.

He looked at her, and, with his voice as smooth and as normal-sounding as possible, he asked: "Well, how is he...?"

he tried a smirk, but the woman just sighed as well and looked at the body settled onto the white, silky sheets.

"He should be fine, but..."

Kuroo raised an eyebrow, blowing a strand of hair from his eyes, only to have the stubborn little thing fall right back. 

"But?"

She straightened herself and looked at him, as though she was facing a criminal and she was the one who was supposed to execute the law.

He almost shivered, but just smiled half-heartedly, trying to just get her to continue already, after all, he didn't have all the day and he had  _someone to take care of._

The woman closed her eyes, continuing.

"He won't make it if he goes back out."

Kuroo blinked.

She thought he was gonna throw him out after  _freaking hitting him with his carriage-?_

Another blink.

Then a laugh followed, bubbly and loud, which he immediately stopped after a small sound from the brunet on the bed.

The elder woman kept her face stern, but there was a small knowing look in her eyes.

With a small cough and a gulp, Kuroo cleared his throat.  _Well this is embarrassing..._

With a failed attempt at regaining composure, he urged the woman to go on by giving a small wave with the hand that wasn't covering is reddening face.

After another second passed, the woman went on. 

"Well, I see that you don't mind having him as your guest for now, which I admire, Lord Kuroo, but I am also aware that you might want to know his situation and the graveness of it, no?"

Kuroo nodded quickly, eyes wide with curiosity. The woman then spoke: "He was already in a weakened state before the hit, malnourished and nearing hypothermia. The hit on the head shouldn't give you any trouble and the fresh cuts have already been bandaged. What _does_ worry me, however, Lord Kuroo, are the bruises."

Surprise soon turned into shock. Was it really that bad? If it was just bruises.

She chuckled lowly at the young man's confusion, which could almost be compared to her late husband's when he was faced with terms he didn't know. To be completely honest, she didn't want to tell the lord what she found out, she was still struggling to understand it herself, but she also did not want him to misunderstand.

"Lord Kuroo, I am not talking about the bruises from the accident, those are minor. He... Was _already_ injured before that. They look..."

The woman shivered, the look in her eyes telling Kuroo that it was serious,  _really_ serious.

"Brutal... It looks like he has been beaten up a couple of day before today, a week at most..."

Kuroo 's brows furrowed. He turned his eyes to look at the figure laying on the bed. His heart squeezed almost painfully in his chest. 

_What happened to you...?_

A sigh escaped his lips and he plopped onto the armchair on the bedside, mentally exhausted. He wasn't one to care for people he didn't know, but with this one... His hear squeezed a bit in his chest. The woman took the hint after he threw a little glance at her. She had done everything she could to patch the boy up, so there wasn't much anyone else could do. 

Kuroo could only wait.

 

* * *

 

 

The snow had stopped falling for now, but with the ominous way the clouds hung above the little town and everything the could see into the distance, even covering the peak of the mountains lining the town's edge, Kuroo knew he had to say good bye to his servants if he wanted them to make it safe to thei own families in time for Christmas.

He only kept a maid that had insisted that she was completely and  _utterly_   fine with staying for the holidays. And seeing as she could also cook, he saw no reason to tell the girl, Anne or something, no.

After parting from his royal servants, the lord was quick to return to boy's, whose name he didn't know, bedside.

He opened the decorated door to his own bedroom, where he decided to keep the boy, since he had no reason to uselessly warm up a guest room, wasting wood in the process.

With a small smile, the black-haired man settled himself onto the armchair, eyes trailing towards his sleeping guest.

His face pulled into a small grimace. Kuroo tilted his head to the side. 

_Is he awake...?_

As soon as that thought went through his mind, Kuroo saw as the boy slowly blinked, opening his eyes and looking at him.

"W-WHO ARE YOU?!", he screams and jumps up, a soft groan escaping him. He fell back against the sheets.

"Uuuuuuhm... Well... My carriage kinda... Hit you?"

Kuroo cringed a bit, his own words weirding _him_ out, but his expression soon softened as he saw a pair of warm, brown orbs looking at him, shining in the light of the fire in the corner of the room.

"So you... Took me in?"

"Basically."

"And can stay here...?"

The hopefulness in the boy's town brought a pink tint to the lord cheeks and he nodded and instead of talking, knowing that, were he to try and speak, his voice would be breathy, because  _damn, he's so cute._

"I... I, uhm...", that got Kuroo's attention, the tiny voice piping up. He looked at the boy and all he cold think about the little blushing mess he had become was...

Well.

Strawberry.

And Kuroo really wanted to _just eat him up_ right then and there.

"I'm Yamaguchi... Yamaguchi Ta-Tadashi..."

A shiver ran through his body.  _Tadashi, huh...?_

"Well, Yamaguchi, name's Kuroo Tetsurou! All thooooough..."

He leaned in to whisper into the brunets ear, enjoying the way he turned even redder.

"If you want, I would surely not mind you calling me master~!"

A squeak escaped Yamaguchi, who almost jumped again, but settled back with a grunt when Kuroo began laughing, realizing it was only a joke.

The boy sighed and smiled a little, closing his eyes for a couple of seconds, shyly trying to thank him in a whisper.

Not wanting to miss this opportunity, Kuroo took a closer ~~stare~~  look at the boy. His face was just as freckled as he remembered it, but his skin, now having returned to its normal color, was more tanned than before, making the little scatterings of dots stand out against round, olive cheeks. Brown hair was sleep-tousled and Kuroo was trying to swallow the knot in his throat.

He didn't have time to marvel at the other's positively  _beautiful_  face, as the boy opened his eyes, the warm color making Kuroo feel safe,giving him an almost _nostalgic_ feeling. The boy looked at him as if he was amazed that someone was willing to help him, but _for real now, who would be cruel enough to say no to someone who not only did they hit, but that they are getting attached to too fast to be healthy and whose eyes are bright enough to light up a fucking room-_

Kuroo shook his head.

He smiled reassuringly. The boy's mouth clamped shut and he went ahead to try and chew on his lower lip, but the lord frowned, not having any of it.

"Don't do that..."

 

* * *

 

 

Yamaguchi was stunned to see this  _gorgeous_ black haired man with his eyes like molten gold saying that he was willing to take care of him. he supposed it might be a favor, because he had hurt Yamaguchi, but people did that all the time and wasn't really  _somebody important-_

He could feel his blush growing when the man smiled at him. He had to bite his lip to keep silent, but...

His heart was beating faster and he could only look into  _those damn eyes_ which seemed to concentrate on him. Yamaguchi's whole being was already lit up and there was nothing he could do about it.

Without even realizing it, he began chewing on his lip. It had always been Yamaguchi's way of coping with things when he was scared, but right now... 

He was overwhelmed, seeing this man, Kuroo Tetsurou, listening to his deep, smooth voice, seeing that little smile.

"Don't do that..."

A hand reached for his chin and two warm, long fingers, belonging to Kuroo, pulled the lip from between his teeth. The thumb however moved to the bitten spot, where tiny crimson wounds were already there and traced circles into it. Yamaguchi looked up at Kuroo, only to see those eyes lowered, but somehow also filled with warmth.

He felt as if all breath had been stolen from him.

 

* * *

 

 

Looking at Yamaguchi, Kuroo thought he might have just discovered a new shade of red onto the male's freckled cheeks. It was at that moment that he knew.

 

He had completely and royally  _fallen._


	3. Boiling point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back
> 
> P.S.[me](https://media1.tenor.com/images/96563b7dbe1025194610c2b0da86e4a2/tenor.gif) rn
> 
>  
> 
> Hnxjdjs
> 
>  

A few days passed since Kuroo had taken the stray boy in and it was rather... Unusual. Not bad, but odd for him. His family being far away and people tending to avoid him either because of his status or because of his quite unique sense of humour, but this one, Yamaguchi, while shy and a bit weird himself, he had never looked at Kuroo with a weird face, never once had remained awkwardly silent around him and Kuroo couldn't help but be grateful to him for that.

Turned out that Yamaguchi not only knew how to cook, but had a  _simply marvelous_ voice, as sweet as honey and as melodic as a hummingbird. 

And yet, with all that, Yamaguchi was out on the streets, bruises from the cold and others and homeless. Kuroo could not for the life of him understand how that could be, when the boy was a hard worker and a nice person at that. The answer eluded him, but Kuroo ignored it for now.

"Kuroo-san...?", he heard the boy's timid voice and turned his head from watching the fire in the fireplace to watching the brunet boy as he brought in some more wood. He looked a hell of a lot more better than when Kuroo had taken him in, and yet he still looked fragile, porcelain-like. Beautiful and nicely structured, holding itself and yet, so, so very easy to break. Just a shove and...

_Crack._

Kuroo jumped as Yamaguchi added another piece of wood to the embers that were now bathing the room in an orange glow, not too different to the earn sunlight of the setting sun outside. But it was cold. No matter how heated the sun's trickster light looked, it was a cold death in hiding.

Yamaguchi let out a little giggle and put the rest of the wood down in a corner.

"You know, you can just relax...", Kuroo mumbled, a bit bitter about the fact that he had been scared by a mere sound while his mind was elsewhere, but it was also obvious that his perceived childishness was more of a playful exaggeration than anything else.

"Well, I've never really liked staying still, you know, because for me at least it would mean I'd die and-", the boy clapped a hand over his mouth as he realized he started speaking nonsense again. Kuroo was pleased that Yamaguchi was getting comfortable enough around him to babble, and it was hard to deny the fact that his freckles stood out even more against a bright red blush, which was quite adorable.  But Kuroo wanted Yamaguchi's trust...

"Hm...", Kuroo looked back at the book in his lap and turned another page. Minutes later, after Yamaguchi had made sure that the fire was well and alive, he joined Kuroo on the other armchair. At first, Yamaguchi had been reluctant to sit in it, but after noticing that the noble would not have it any other way, Yamaguchi caves and just sat down.

"What are you reading?"

A beat if silence.

"I m-mean if it's not t-too much to ask, you really don't need to- to tell  _me_  of all people and-", Yamaguchi was waving his hands in front of his face dramatically, the nervous Bloch from before return tenfold.

Kuroo just clicked his tongue with a content smile.

"Just another cliché drama about yet another couple divided by, guess what", Kuroo mumbled with a sigh and an eye twitch.

"Status dynamics...?", the brunet asked with a tilt in his head. Kuroo knew that the other could read and was quite knowledgeable when it came to dramas. Yamaguchi had argued that it was because one summer's day, he had worked at the town's library and found the books interesting, so he ended up reading the entire draw aisle (and getting fired. Well he wasn't really technically working there, it was just to pay the debts to the library owner) of romantic dramas. 

It was a pretty fascinating coincidence and in a way summed up Yamaguchi's first meefjyeitg Kuroo:

Accidental, yet benefitial. Though when Kuroo put it like that, it looked like he was taking advantage of the boy's presence and the sad part was that Kuroo could neither deny nor completely take that as be truth, because in a way, he was using Yamaguchi as someone to make him disregard his loneliness. And yet...

 

* * *

 

 

Yamaguchi watched curiously as Kuroo fell deep in thought. The thing about him was tahtbhe always set up some expectations for himself, but, as Yamaguchi came to find, Kuroo was never what he seemed to be. He looked solemn and mysterious, with the sharp features accentuated by the dark and much-too-somber-for-his-age clothing he wore, but his hair was what already indicated that he was a bit... Unusual. But the way he acted, is what surprised Yamaguchi. 

There was a lot more mischievousness in the man than one would think, and Yamaguchi found that strangely endearing.

The brunet shook his head and stood up abruptly, catching the attention of the other. Kuroo raised an eyebrow, curiously and Yamaguchi just said something about tea and gave his best smile, which wasn't too hard at Kuroo's weird puff-of-air kind of laugh.

As Kuroo went back to his book, Yamaguchi made his way back to the kitchen, but before even entering the room, he saw the shadow of two people there. 

 _'Probably some of the servants that have yet to leave for Christmas, calm down Tadashi, no one's out to get you!',_ the boy thought to himself, but in his attempts to just breathe and try to take a straighter stance before actually entering the small, yet spacious room, Yamaguchi caught a bit of one of the servant's replies, a young girl, and Yamaguchi's blood froze in his veins.

"-he's just a pity case, I'm telling you!"

An older, but still youthful, male voice replies, disdain present in his voice.

"Too bad Lord Kuroo is too kind to see his leecherous behaviour..."

Yamaguchi gulped and finally gathered enough courage to glimpse into the kitchen. The two servants had heavy coats on and their bags on their shoulders, both preparing to leave through the backdoor.

As soon as the door clinked close and Yamaguchi was alone again, the boy glued himself to one of the nearest walls, a shacky hand carding through his dark hair.

Yamaguchi knew that he shouldn't listen, shouldn't hyper-focus on the words that he was almost entirely sure had been about himself, but the almost disgusted tone in their boxes, it made Yamaguchi shiver. It made his mind remember.

Yamaguchi did not want to remember.

Did not want to remember his mother questioning him on whether or not those _filthy rumours_ _, are they true, Tadashi? Are they?!_ Or his father looking over his one and only son with an icy look in his usually so caring eyes.

But Yamaguchi couldn't remember much after that. Only waking up in the streets.

He didn't need those memories, they would destroy any bit of sanity he still had and-

"Ya okay there? I mean , I know people do their stuff differently, but I'm at least almost sure there should be water boiling, eh?", Kuroo's inquired and Yamaguchi gulped, trembling fingers extending towards the kettle, but his dark eyes were blankly staring at the door.

When he finally returned to Kuroo's side, he almost looked dead, but he tried to hide it behind a goody smile and a little joke.

Kuroo took that as truth and returned to his reading while Yamaguchi wennt back in the kitchen to remove the kettle of the stove, eyes drifting almost methodically towards the small window pane on the door, eyes focusing as the snowflakes got bigger and densened bthe whiteness already settled into the ice rug that had covered the land.

_Need to get away... Can't burden him..._

But Yamaguchi tries to act as if the kindness of the lord was something he fully appreciated.

When Kuroo had decided to visit his horses I. Their stalls and make sure they were going to be ok in the coming storm, Yamaguchi had... Fun. The lord had a way of making any atmosphere joyous, filling it with his childlike excitement and peppering small holes into his replies, and Yamaguchi couldn't help but double over laughing at some of them.

But that night, after exchanging goodnight with Kuroo, tired after having to argue about the fact that he could very well sleep onto the floor in the living room, but Kuroo would have none of that. 

"What kind of host would I be if I let my guest sleep onto the floor?!", Or something akin to that.

But as soon Yamaguchi closed his eyes, screams echoed his ears and red filled his vision.

His nightmares were eating him alive, aiding the guilt he already felt in doing just that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I KNOW that I said I'd try to write for it winter cuz mood but I can't, for the life of me, write more than one fanfic at once and y'all gotta let me be :')  
> Buuuuuuuuuut I still wanna finish this cuz I ain't leaving any fanfictions behind.
> 
> And plus, this ship is so rare, if I don't write for it, no one will TwT
> 
> Either way, it's not a very long fic either way so i should finish it pretty soon I think (I hope)


	4. Laughter

It was snowing again when Tadashi looked out the window, the snow flakes falling down gracefully and coming togethe6r in clumps, as if they were trying to weave themselves into a blanket of white cotton. The brunet traced the icy patterns on the window with a thin finger and almost gasped as the intricate designs swirled into one another.

It was... Soothing. Tadashi had always liked winter, but most of the time, he never really got to enjoy it nearly as much as he might have liked to. Because no matter how beautiful the snow looked outside, dancing with itself and storming in on itself, the thoughts inside Tadashi's head were swirling at higher speed, the chaos disturbing is sleep and making it painful to look at the man who'd saved his life (and also endangered it, but Tadashi knew that he wouldn't have survived this winter without Tetsurou's help, so it was all really just a blessing in disguise, Tadashi mused).

The words of the maiden two days ago rung in his head, like echoes screeching at him as they tried to slowly suffocate him with their intensity.

Breathing came hard when the guilt pressed its weight ion his chest like a tone of lead, so he guessed that it did work.

But what really made this inner conflict burn up and gave it even more fuel, was the fact that he could feel...  _Something_ blooming in his chest whenever he looked at the black-haired noble, when Tetsurou smirked oh so childishly, at his jokes, at the way he looked at Tadashi, like he was something to be treasured, but Tadashi knew that not to be true, so he let those hopeful thoughts drift down the sewer of his mind.

...But what could he do?

He tried to clean or cook, but Tetsurou said it wasn't needed, tried to find something  _useful_ he could do, but the noble always said it wasn't something that was ever needed, that Tadashi was his guest, thus should just  _chill and relax with me,_ in his own words.

But Tadashi couldn't do that.

The brunet glanced at the noble, who had fallen asleep onto the couch, right next to him, head brushing slightly against Tadashi's shoulder and his heart was beating, beating, beating, like he was running from someone again.

Tadashi allowed himself to close his eyes and relish in the warmth coming from the fireplace and the sound of the wind hitting the expensive glass, making it whistle, but only added to the atmosphere, Tadashi came to find.

And the Tetsurou's head fell right into Tadashi's lap.

"Eh?!", the man squeaked, shoulders reaching his ears and sweet eyes wide open, staring at the sleeping (and also drooling; Tadashi could relate) face of the noble.

He relaxed just a little bit, heart still racing against itself inside his chest and face completely red, looking at how much... Younger Tetsurou looked like this. 

Reaching out a lithe, warm hand, Tadashi brushed Tetsurou's fringe to the side, exposing more of his face and Tadashi almost had to laugh at how the other scrunched up his face just a little bit at this. It reminded Tadashi of a kitten, if he was being honest.

This man had taken him in and Tadashi was... Falling for him, and hard at that, as though his very soul was being tangled into a mess, one that could only hurt both himself and others, the same vine that had gotten Tadashi thrown out of his house, that had made so many of his friends turn their backs on him.

Tadashi was falling for this Tetsurou, a noble, a  _man_ , and he knew how wrong it was.

 _'He'd be so disgusted if he knew all this, I-I...',_ Tadashi thought to himself, smiling bitterly.

He couldn't allow himself this... This gross endorsement was not something Tetsurou deserved for saving Tadashi.

That afternoon, Tadashi had finally reached a conclusion, eyes shining with a painful gleam and a forced smile as he saw the noble get up and stretch himself like nothing happened, arranging his oat and smiling a catish grin at Tadashi, edges softer than usually.

_'It's all for the better anyway, if I leave...'_

 

* * *

 

 Even as a young kid, Tetsurou didn't have a lot of friends, aside from one that lived more towards the southern part of the country, whilst Tetsurou himself lived in the north. And now, to actually have accidentally stumbled bl(literally) upon someone who'd light up his life a little bit, like a candle in a dark room, like the stars at night.

And he was starting to care about Tadashi more and more each day he spent with the boy. Their discussion were thoughtful and more often than not, it ended with both of them quivering with laughter, and their silences weren't awkward, but soothing, in a way, Tetsurou thought.

He didn't even seem to care that he was a noble, but sometimes, just sometimed, Tadashi was... Thoughtful. 

A mist would settle over the boy's dark chartreuse eyes and he would remain unresponsive.

It worried Tetsurou, if he was honest with himself, but who knew what the brunet had been through? Tadashi would never talk about why he was on the streets, in autumn clothing during winter, and although Tetsurou had a good idea as to what the bruises meant.

And yet it scared him, the fact that he knew so little, but why should he be surprised? It had been a week since they met, and yet his heart had practically become a champion at summersaulting inside his chest as soon as he greeted Tadashi, with the boy's cutely messed up hair.

But maybe he could help. If only he could actually get closer to the boy, if-

If only...

 

* * *

 

It had snowed again and Christmas Eve would not be celebrated too extravagantly tomorrow, Tetsurou decided.

However, he did decide that today, he'd take Tadashi through the woods to show him... Something.

Tadashi hadn't really been told what he'd be seeing or what they'd be doing, but one thing was sure: he should dress warmly, or so Tetsurou had said.

Tadashi sighed as he put the cloak on and looked in the mirror, staring at his reflection like it was someone completely different, and dressed with expensive fabrics and with attentive decorations, he did. He did look like someone else. Like not Tadashi.

It only accentuated his guilt, but he forgot all about it when he saw the wide, toothy smile on the noble's face. It warmed Tadashi and, well, he would be lying if he said his heart wasn't joyously jumping around inside his chest.

When they finally got out of the house, Tadashi marveled at how soft the smog felt underneath his covered feet. It made him smile a little, feel the same as he did when he was just a little boy.

 

...and then his face was hit by a snowball.

 

Tadashi whipped around to face a Tetsurou be in hysterics, laughing so hard he fell onto the snow inside his backyard, which led to the thick woods just a few feet away.

Tadashi smiled deviously and took a mass of snow in his arms, and before Tetsurou even realized what was going on, he was also, quite frankly, covered from head to toe in a sheen of ice.

"I'm gonna get you for that!", He responded in mock anger, running after Tadashi.

"Well you started it!", Tadashi shouted back as he could barely keep a running pace with how much he was giggling.

"Oh ho ho, I see how it is, you little rascal!"

Tadashi kept on running, keeping the forest in sight, while gleefully looking over his shoulder at the man chasing him, yelling out just as many taunts as Tetsurou himself.

But Tadashi was still weaker due to the injuries sustained only a few days ago, and Tetsurou had longer legs, easily catching up to the green-haired, laughing mess that Tadashi had become. Soon enough, Tetsurou had caught up and, as he latched onto Tadashi's waist, sent both of them tumbling into a big pile of snow.

 A beat of silence.

And then both men were caught in another fit of laughter.

A few minutes later was when Tadashi finally took note of the... Position they were in.

Tetsurou was on top of him, hands caging Tadashi's head on both sides, a manic kind of grin on his face.

And Tadashi could feel his face heat up even more than it already was because of the cold.

"I-"

"Well, let's go, I still wanna show ya that 'something' I was talking about~!"


	5. Empire of Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tetsurou thought that Tadashi was happy, and in return, he was happy too, but he should have known that something was not right, not with the way the little brunet was looking at the sky, eyes empty, before Tetsurou called out to him.
> 
> Everything turned into a mess when Tadashi disappeared while the storm was raging outside.
> 
> And God damn it, he should have forseen it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been quite a long time, but I never abandon works so... Here TuT

Tadashi followed, glowed hand held into Tetsurou's own as the he was dragged along. Well, not dragged, necessarily, as much as taken by the hand. And that thought was giving Tadashi enough palpitations as it was, but when Tetsurou started chatting idly and grinning back at him when Tadashi giggled at one of his jokes, the brunet almost felt a bit guilt for what his plan was going to actually bring the noble.

But regardless, the two continued trotting through the thicc, but, in a way, pure, undisturbed layer of snow, the ice and frost covering the trees shining in the low light of the sun, which was hiding behind the dark clouds like a bride hiding behind her veil. Tadashi thought that the woods, although especially dangerous during winter, held some of the most breathtaking sights he had ever seen.

And when Tadashi kept looking at the man walking ahead of him, black spiky hair chaotic as always, and glittering golden eyes, Tadashi couldn't help but reinforce the statement from earlier, even if it was just for himself, in his own mind. Truly a sight for sore eyes and a cure for lonely hearts.

 

The two kept trekking through the snow, but after about three little 'accident', accidents meaning Tadashi nearly fell right onto his face twice and Tetsurou almost hit a tree while trying to tell Tadashi a joke, it was the noble who took the initiative and laced his glowed fingers through Tadashi's own.

It was really just an innocent, logical act, so they could avoid any misfortunes, but try telling that to Tetsurou's racing heart, see how much luck you have.

When he looked back at the bundled up brunet, he almost cooed at how cute Tadashi looked, half of his face buried in his scarf, while the other flushed a deep red, which almost seemed to glow in contrast to the dark tree trunks and the white snow.

"H-how much more, Kuroo-san...?", Tadashi squeaked from behind the thick layer of wool.

Tetsurou made a thoughtful expression. Not too long, really. But he was getting a bit nervous. He liked the place where they were headed, but it wasn't anything special, what if Tadashi expected more? 

We'll, he'd just have to see when they got there, Tetsurou decided, dismissing his own worries with a lopsided grin and a "We'll be there soon enough~ Impatient much?" directed at Tadashi, which amde him blush even more.

 

* * *

 

 

And they did. Get there pretty soon, that is. And Tadashi couldn't really so anything but stare.

The sun's light was much dimmer than when the had gone outside and it was starting to acquire a orange tint to it, defused by the clouds, but somehow, that oy made the imagery that much more beautiful.

"Is this...?", he asked, whispering without even meaning to.

Tetsurou, who stole held their hands together, merely squeezed Tadashi's palm harder and gave a sluggish nod.

They were standing in front of the waterfall which, during the summer, ran all too quickly to be really used for anything other than maybe an attraction for its beauty. But nothing could compare to the elegant gleam it reflected when the water tendrils were frozen, every drop stopped in its position and breaking the slime slivers of light it managed to get during their cold winter day into a little ray of icy colour.

Even the trees surrounding the waterfall were covered in a thin lace-like sheet of ice, small icicles hanging from the branches like crystals.

It was breathtaking.

"How..How'd you find this place...?", Tadashi turned to Tetsurou, green eyes widened in wonder and pink lips half open.

Tetsurou felt his cheeks go a little warm and he scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. If he felt a bit more mesmerized by those pretty for eyes, or if he stared at those soft lips more than he probably should have, more than it was normal to do, neither one of them said a thing.

"Well, I was young and adventurous what can I... Say...", his words stood heavy on his tongue as Tadashi have a big smile, one that stretched from cheek to cheek, small, barely noticeable dimples appearing in the corners of his mouth, making him all too adorable for poor Tetsurou, who was mentally screeching.

"It's so... Beautiful."

Tetsurou's mind went blank.

And then he did something that he had wanted to do, that he had thought of doing, something that right now would make his heart beat chaotically, but something that, later down the line, will have a couple of consequences that Tetsurou would really do anything to stop.

He leaned in, brushed a hand on Tadashi's cheek, while his thumb ran over a smooth and plump bottom lip and then...

He kissed Tadashi, right on the lips, grabbing the younger one by the waist and gently brushing a strand of brownish hair behind his ear. It was slow, Tetsurou reckoned, so if Tadashi wanted to pull away, he could, but Tetsurou, he... He didn't want that. In that moment, he felt a jolt of heat run through him, making his heart beat faster and brain stop functioning. In that moment, he had nothing to worry about, no useless thoughts, no jokes to be told. It was just them.

It did take a moment for Tadashi to start kissing back and then melt into the moment, his knees buckling just a little bit and breath shackily coming out through his nose.

"But it's nothing compared to you", Tetsurou chuckled as he parted from Tadashi's lips, and maybe that was a bit of an odd thing to do after a kiss, chuckling like an excited kid, but he didn't care. He felt giddy and his chest could burst from how content and utterly _enamored_ he felt in that moment.

And then, Tetsurou took note of the expression on Tadashi's face, a bead of swaty dropping from the side of his face. 

What...?

Tadashi had a pink blush on his cheeks, but he was trembling and his eyes were shiny with tears, panic starting to arise as Tadashi tried to speak, but couldn't, managing only to let out puffs of heat breath.

Tetsurou was getting _really_ worried...

"Hey... Tadashi... Are you ok?"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As summer rolls around, at least from July onwards, I'll have more time to write, so I plan on finishing this fic soon.  
> Hopefully 

**Author's Note:**

> The hiatus'll only last til Christmas, but I wanted to have the beginning done so that I have what to work with~  
> Either way, review and give me tips (pleaseeeeeeee)  
> See yall then, byeeeeee~!


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